AGY-6473 | Borough of Drummoyne (1890-1906) Municipality of Drummoyne (1906-1993) Drummoyne Council (1993-2000)

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The Borough of Drummoyne was incorporated on 17 January 1890. (1)

Under section18 of the Municipalities Act 1867 (31 Vic No.12) an area within an existing municipality could separate from it to create a new municipality. The separation had to be asked for in a petition signed by two third of the ratepayers of the area to be detached. However a proportional split of the debts, liabilities, revenue and expenditure would be made by the Minister before the new area was incorporated.(2) On 21 October 1889 the petition of 392 ratepayers asking to separate from the Municipal District of Five Dock and create a new municipality - the Borough of Drummoyne - was published in the NSW Government Gazette. (3)

Whether a local government area was designated a borough or municipal district depended on its size, both in population and area. Boroughs required a minimum population of 1,000 and could not be larger than 9 square miles with no part more than 6 miles distant from the rest. Boroughs were cities or towns, areas incorporated before 1867, or a populous country district. (4)

The proposed Borough of Drummoyne was located in inner-west Sydney, along the Parramatta River, in the Parish of Concord, County of Cumberland. (5)

The split was proclaimed on 17 January 1890. The Municipal District of Five Dock was reduced to 1.55 square miles. The Borough of Drummoyne with an area of four fifths of a square mile was divided into three wards governed by nine aldermen. Drummoyne's three wards were Bourke ward, Birkenhead ward and Drummoyne ward. (6)

Under section 65 of Municipalities Act 1867 the first election of aldermen should take place within three months of incorporation to allow time for the making of the electoral rolls. On 11 February the returning officer for Drummoyne was appointed and the date for the first election set for 8 March. (7) On 1 March the Municipalities Act of 1867 Amendment Act 1886 (50 Vic. No.24) re the holding of polls was applied to Drummoyne. (8) The first mayoral election was held on 2 April. (9)

In February 1902 the Councils of the Municipal District of Five Dock and the Borough of Drummoyne petitioned to amalgamate under section 17 of the Municipalities Act, 1897 (Act No.23, 1897). The united area would have a population of 4,247, and they asked that it be divided into four wards - North, East, South and West wards. (10) Under section 17 of the Act each council had to obtain the agreement of at least two-thirds of their ratepayers before seeking the union. Meetings of Drummoyne and Five Dock ratepayers, held on 16 January and 22 January 1902, endorsed the union. (11)

The Municipal District of Five Dock and the Borough of Drummoyne were amalgamated by proclamation on 12 March 1902 under the name of the Borough of Drummoyne. (12)

Under section 17 of the Municipalities Act, 1897, all the aldermen of the previous councils continued in office, meaning that the new council had 18 aldermen until February 1903. With four wards it was then entitled to only 12 aldermen. No election was held at Drummoyne when the annual local government elections took place in February 1903 and the six Drummoyne aldermen whose term expired retired. (13) On 25 March 1902 the first council meeting was held to elect the mayor. Under section 21 of the Municipalities Act, 1897, only the last mayors of Drummoyne and Five Dock were eligible to contest the election. (14)

Under section 23 of the Municipalities Act, 1897, when two or more areas united the Minister would decide which of the previous Council's by-laws would apply to the new council. On 24 April 1902 the Minister declared that the united municipality of Drummoyne would use the by-laws in force in the Borough of Drummoyne at the time of union, until repealed by the council itself. (15)

The Borough of Drummoyne became the Municipality of Drummoyne on 31 December 1906. Under the Local Government Extension Act, 1906 (Act No.40, 1906) the terms municipal district and borough ceased to be used. (16)

The Valuation of Land Act, 1916 (Act No.2, 1916) was applied to the Municipality of Drummoyne on 1 December 1924. Under this legislation the Valuer-General took over the valuing of land within the municipality from the council. He issued a valuation list to the Council by 6 January 1925 and thereafter the Council ceased to create valuation books. (17)

Boundary exchanges occurred between Drummoyne and the Municipalities of Ashfield and Canterbury on 24 October 1941 and between Drummoyne and the Municipality of Concord on 8 April 1981. Also on 8 April 1981 reclaimed land was added to Drummoyne. (18)

On 4 August 1950 the division of the Municipality of Drummoyne into wards was abolished at the request of Council. (19)

Drummoyne Municipal Council became Drummoyne Council on 1 July 1993. Under section 221(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No.30, 1993) the corporate name of all councils were changed by deleting any reference to 'municipality' or 'shire'. However, this was opposed by some local government areas. The Local Government Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1994 (Act No.44, 1994) enabled local government areas to retain the words 'municipality' or 'shire' as part of their corporate name if they resolved to do so before 31 December 1994. (20) Drummoyne Council does not appear to have resolved to do this.

In April 2000 Concord Council and Drummoyne Council sought the permission of the Minister of Local Government for a voluntary amalgamation. The Local Government Boundaries Commission decided that the merger should go ahead if the councils still agreed. (21)

Concord Council and Drummoyne Council amalgamated to form the City of Canada Bay Council which began operations on 1 December 2000. (22)

Endnotes.
1. NSW Government Gazette No.42, 18 January 1890, pp.525-6.
2. Municipalities Act 1867 (31 Vic No.12), s.18.
3. NSW Government Gazette No.570, 21 October 1889, pp.7573-79; No.582, 29 October 1889, p.7760.
4. Municipalities Act 1867 (31 Vic No.12), s.8.1.
5. NSW Government Gazette No.570, 21 October 1889, p.7573.
6. NSW Government Gazette No.42, 18 January 1890, pp,525-6.
7. NSW Government Gazette No.75, 11 February 1890, p.1217.
8. NSW Government Gazette No.97, 21 February 1890, p.1521.
9. SMH 11 April 1890, p.3; NSW Government Gazette No.203, 11 April 1890, p.3032.
10. NSW Government Gazette No.131, 13 February 1902, pp.1269-70.
11. SMH 20 January 1902, p.8; 24 January 1902, p.6.
12. NSW Government Gazette No.206, 14 March 1902, p.2114; SMH 26 May 1900, p.6; 29 May 1900, p.8; 6 June 1900, p.6; 9 June 1900, p.5; 12 June 1900, p.7; 26 December 1901, p.7; 20 January 1902, p.8; 18 August 1902, p.3; 20 August 1902, p.7.
13. SMH 18 March 1902, p.7; Balmain Observer 31 Jan 1903, p.4.
14. NSW Government Gazette No.219, 21 March 1902, p.2267; No.241, 2 April 1902, p.2576; SMH 7 April 1902, p.9; 8 May 1902, p.4; No.264, 15 April 1902, p.2889; SMH 7 April 1902, p.9; 4 August 1902, p.5; 15 August 1902, p.4; Municipalities Act, 1897 (Act No.23, 1897), s165, 167.
15. NSW Government Gazette No.289, 29 April 1902, p.3195; No.330, 20 May 1902, pp.3678-88.
16. Local Government Extension Act, 1906 (Act No 40, 1906) s3, Schedule One, s9; NSW Government Gazette No.286, 31 December 1906, p.7019.
17. NSW Government Gazette No.144, 14 November 1924, p.5166; No 8, 16 January 1925, p.254.
18. NSW Government Gazette No.136, 24 October 1941, pp.3778-80; amended 20 February 1942; No.2088, 10 April 1981, pp.2088-9.
19. NSW Government Gazette No.126, 4 August 1950, p.2448.
20. Local Government Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1994 (Act No.44, 1994) inserted s6 of Schedule 8 into the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No.30, 1993).
21. Department of Local Government, Annual Report 2000/2001, pp.66-7.
22. ibid; NSW Government Gazette No.127, 29 September 2000, pp.10889-92; 'Boundaries Commission - new councils' http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/boundariescommission/SAIndex.asp?mi=4&ml=4&areaindex=BC&index=35 (cited 9 May 2013).